Last night I dragged David, wh knew nothing about Fado music, to the concert by the rising star named "Mariza." O.M.G. this was an amazing concert like nothing either of us have ever seen. Portugese Fado music is an fantastic and dramatic art form. Mariza is magnificent, her stage presence is commanding, her portugese guitara band is fabulous. BBC recently gave her an award for "Best European Performer." They were oh so correct in doing so. WE both agreed it was the finest performance we had ever seen anywhere in the world.

Anyway, I went to her website this morning. She is ending her U.S./Canada tour this weekend and will be in Edmonton on Aug. 8th and in Toronto Aug. 9th. If there are tickets available, any closeby Canadians should try to see her concert. They will never forget it.

Well, I'd suggest you take a cruise that stops in Lisbon, but if you're only there for a ship's day, you'll never hear Fado, because it only happens at night.

But. . .

If you take a cruise that starts or ends in Lisbon, or are in the country on a non-cruise visit like we were, you can spend an evening enjoying a Fado club, where a number of different singers entertain each night, interspersed with guitar and other short sets. You can order a relatively inexpensive, hearty meal and enjoy Fado with the locals, who provide a lot of the drama by moaning and crying out at "appropriate" moments.

It really is a gorgeous thing to see and hear. Anybody who can get near it either in Portugal or at home should make a special effort.